joewein.net   joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet
Try our spam filter!
 Free trial for 30 days
   jwSpamSpy
Home
About Us
Spam
419/Nigeria
Fraud
Contact

"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

The so-called "419" scam is a type of fraud dominated by criminals from Nigeria and other countries in Africa. Victims of the scam are promised a large amount of money, such as a lottery prize, inheritance, money sitting in some bank account, etc.

Victims never receive this non-existent fortune but are tricked into sending their money to the criminals, who remain anonymous. They hide their real identity and location by using fake names and fake postal addresses as well as communicating via anonymous free email accounts and mobile phones.

Keep in mind that scammers DO NOT use their real names when defrauding people.
The criminals either abuse names of real people or companies or invent names or addresses.
Any real people or companies mentioned below have NO CONNECTION to the scammers!

Read more about such scams here or in our 419 FAQ. Use the Scam-O-Matic to verify suspect emails.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

 

 

Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: musa thomson <musa_thomson91@hotmail.fr>
Reply-To: <musa_thomaso20@yahoo.fr>
Date: Tue, 20 Nov 2007 13:30:49 +0000
Subject: FROM: MR MUSA THOMSON.



FROM: MR MUSA THOMSON.MANAGER BILL AND EXCHANGE MANAGER OUAGADOUGOU, BURKINA-FASO. DEAR, I AM THE MANAGER BILL AND EXCHANGE AT THE FOREIGN REMITTANCE DEPARTMENT OF BANK OF AFRICA.I HAVE A BUSINESS WHICH WILL BE BENEFICIAL TO BOTH OF US. THE AMOUNT OF MONEY INVOLVED IS ($20.5M.TWENTY MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS) WHICH I WANT TO TRANSFER OUT OF THE COUNTRY TO YOUR BANK ACCOUNT, ALL TO MY FINANCIAL BENEFIT AND YOURS TOO ALSO FOR INVESTMENT. THIS MONEY IS OWNED BY ONE OF OUR FOREIGN CUSTOMER. HE HAS BEEN DEAD SINCE FIVE YEARS AGO AND SINCE THEN NO CLAIM HAS BEEN PLACED ON HIS BANK ACCOUNT BALANCE. I WANT TO TRANSFER THIS MONEY OUT OF THE COUNTRY BUT SUCH FUND CAN NOT BE TRANSFERRED WITHOUT A NEXT OF KIN ATTACHED TO THE FUND,THIS IS WHY I ASKED FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE. THE FUND COULD BE TRANSFERRED IN THESE WAY;YOU SHALL PRESENT YOURSELF AS BUSINESS ASSOCIATES TO THE DECEASED PERSON AS DETAILS SHALL BE THAT YOU ARE THE IN-LAW AND BUSINESS ASSOCIATES TO THE LATE CUSTOMER . I SHALL MAKE AVAILABLE TO YOU MATERIALS AND INFORMATION WITH WHICH A SUCCESSFUL CLAIM SHALL BE PLACED ON THE FUND. I SHALL BE YOUR GUIDIANCE AND INSTRUCTOR THROUGHOUT THE DURATION OF THIS TRANSACTION SO AS TO ENSURE A SWIFT AND SURE TRANSFER OF THE FUND TO YOUR BANK ACCOUNT WITHOUT ANY PROBLEM. AS TO YOUR BENEFITS, YOU SHALL BE ENTITLED TO 30% OF THIS FUND FOR YOUR CO-OPERATION IN THIS TRANSACTION WHILE 10% WIL BE SET ASIDE FOR EXPENSES BOTH OF US INCURED DURING THE COURSE OF THIS TRANSACTION. SO IF YOU ARE INTRESTED,SEND A REPLY TO ME IMMEDIATELY AND IN YOUR REPLY PLEASE INCLUDE YOUR [PRIVATE PHONE AND YOUR FAX NUMBERS] URGENCY HAS TO BE IMPLIED AND THIS BUSINESS MUST STRICTLY BE A DEAL BETWEEN BOTH OF US. BEST REGARDS, MR MUSA THOMSON.MANAGER BILL AND EXCHANGE MANAGER OUAGADOUGOU, BURKINA-FASO.


POST SCRITUM
YOU HAVE TO KEEP EVERYTHING SECRET AS TO ENABLE THE TRANSFER TO MOVE VERY SMOOTHLY INTO THE ACCOUNT YOU WILL PROVIDE TO THE BANK. IF HOWEVER, YOU ARE NOT DISPOSED TO ASSIST, KINDLY DELETE/DESTROY THIS EMAIL IN VIEW OF THE CONFIDETIALITY OF THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION AND INTEREST OF PERSONALITIES INVOLVED.

_________________________________________________________________
Connect to the next generation of MSN Messenger 
http://imagine-msn.com/messenger/launch80/default.aspx?locale=en-us&source=wlmailtagline

Anti-fraud resources: